Mesozoic Origin for West Indian Insectivores

Authors

• Alfred L. Roca, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
• Gila Kahila Bar-Gal, National Cancer Institute at Frederick
• Eduardo Eizirik, National Cancer Institute at Frederick; PUCRS - Brazil
• Kristofer M. Helgen, University of Adelaide - Australia
• Roberto Maria, Parque Zoologico Nacional - Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Mark S. Springer, University of California - Riverside
• Stephen J. O'Brien, National Cancer Institute at FrederickFollow
• William J. Murphy, National Cancer Institute at Frederick

ORCID

0000-0001-7353-8301

ResearcherID

N-1726-2015

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Nature

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

6-10-2004

Abstract

The highly endangered solenodons, endemic to Cuba (Solenodon cubanus) and Hispaniola (S. paradoxus), comprise the only two surviving species of West Indian insectivores. Combined gene sequences (13.9 kilobases) from S. paradoxus established that solenodons diverged from other eulipotyphlan insectivores 76 million years ago in the Cretaceous period, which is consistent with vicariance, though also compatible with dispersal. A sequence of 1.6 kilobases of mitochondrial DNA from S. cubanus indicated a deep divergence of 25 million years versus the congeneric S. paradoxus, which is consistent with vicariant origins as tectonic forces separated Cuba and Hispaniola. Efforts to prevent extinction of the two surviving solenodon species would conserve an entire lineage as old or older than many mammalian orders.

Volume

429

Issue

6992

First Page

649

Last Page

651

Comments

©2004 Nature Publishing Group

Additional Comments

GenBank accession #s: AY530066-AY530088

NSUWorks Citation

Roca, Alfred L.; Gila Kahila Bar-Gal; Eduardo Eizirik; Kristofer M. Helgen; Roberto Maria; Mark S. Springer; Stephen J. O'Brien; and William J. Murphy. 2004. "Mesozoic Origin for West Indian Insectivores." Nature 429, (6992): 649-651. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cnso_bio_facarticles/559